POCATELLO — Several things can ignite a home basketball team.

The excitement and energy at the beginning of the game, a run of 3-pointers, the boos that rain down on the road-team's star player, a physical game and sometimes even a couple of scuffles.

In BYU's 85-65 victory Saturday night over the Idaho State Bengals, the Cougars overcame all of those road obstacles to improve their record to 6-0. Perhaps what the Cougars did best was ignore the spacious background of the Holt Arena, which also hosts ISU's football games, and shoot a blistering 57 percent from the floor. They also played outstanding help defense in holding the Bengals to only 41 percent shooting. Idaho State also hit only 14 of 26 free throws.

"What we're really looking for is consistency, where we play well for longer stretches at a high level," BYU coach Dave Rose said. "I thought we had some really good stretches here tonight ... I thought we hung in there and battled. It was a great atmosphere. I think we got better tonight."

Junior forward Jonathan Tavernari, after going 0-for-11 in BYU's last win, rebounded with a game-high 23 points on 10 of 17 shooting. He also added six boards, four assists and two steals. Jimmer Fredette tied a career high in points and assists, by scoring 19 and aiding in six baskets. Lee Cummard had another steady game with 17 points, three assists and three steals. Jackson Emery had a career high 15 points, and also added two assists and three steals.

"When we missed they were running, and that's what they do best," Bengal coach Joe O'Brien said. "They kicked our butt in transition."

The Cougars' defense also caused all kind of trouble for ISU with 11 steals and forcing 10 first-half turnovers. Emery was outstanding in holding Amorrow Morgan, averaging more than 22 points per game, to seven points on 3-10 shooting.

"I just love his ability to make plays on the ball defensively . . . and I thought he did a really good job on a pretty good player," Rose said.

Emery felt the entire team was outstanding in its help defense, in frustrating the Bengal scorers, and in not backing down in a physical road game in front of a hostile crowd.

"It's hard because you have to understand your limits, and I think we figured out what our limits were and we kept our head in it many times during the ball game," Emery said.

When the Cougars broke the game open it was their outstanding passing, which resulted in high-percentage shots, that killed the Bengals. The Cougars finished the game with 18 assists.

"Everyone was sharing it, and that's when we're at our best," Cummard said.

Following a second-half scuffle in which Cummard and Tavernari tangled briefly with ISU's Donnie Carson, the Bengal crowd loudly booed Cummard every time he touched the ball — which just added motivation, the BYU captain said.